Governor's Adirondack Winter Challenge is back on — Sunday

March 5, 2014

LAKE PLACID - Gov. Andrew Cuomo will make a trip up here Sunday, March 9 to kick off the Adirondack Winter Challenge, an event for public officials meant to highlight tourism and winter activities in the area.

The Winter Challenge was originally planned to be held on Feb. 13 but was postponed due to a snowstorm.

Albany legislators and local politicians will spend the day in friendly competition between eight-person teams. Some of the activities planned for the day include alpine skiing at Whiteface Mountain, cross-country skiing and bobsledding at Mount Van Hoevenberg, toboggan riding at the toboggan chute on Mirror Lake, and hockey, curling, ice skating and speedskating at the Olympic Center and Oval.

Mayor Craig Randall said at the March 3 village board meeting that the village is beginning to put together a team with the town of North Elba. Randall said he contacted the village's department heads to help him find volunteers to compete.

Even though the competitors from Lake Placid and North Elba have home-field advantage, Randall said he expects the governor to do well.

"I think the governor thinks he's got an inside edge," Randall said. "Remember, he did pretty well in the summer challenge with rafting."

Randall said it is good the governor is promoting this event.

"When he gets behind something, he does not miss an opportunity to promote it," Randall said.

North Elba Supervisor Roby Politi said he thinks the Winter Challenge will be great for the area by promoting tourism.

It's unclear what event the governor will participate in, a spokesperson for Cuomo's office said. All of the members of the state Legislature were invited, as were politicians from neighboring Adirondack communities.

State Sen. Betty Little will also be in attendance. A member of her office said she plans to compete in curling.

"It should provide for an interesting afternoon," Randall said. "I do think the curling would be a lot of fun."